That prompted Pro Football Talk to reach out to Schaffer, who angrily denounced the idea that an agreement was in place.

“It’s 100 percent untrue,” he said. “I’ve got four teams to negotiate with. I’ve got irresponsible journalists who don’t check their facts putting this stuff out there, and my phone is blowing up when I’m trying to play hockey.

“I’ve got very little patience for irresponsible journalists who put this stuff out and ruin my night,” added Schaffer, who plays in an adult hockey league in Colorado. “My phone is going nuts. I just wanna play hockey.”

All of this doesn’t mean that a deal won’t eventually get done — there are a lot of things at play here when you’re talking about a deal like this one, particularly considering the fact that the logistics of Browner’s four-game suspension and how it might relate to a new contract have to be worked out.